Survival analysis

Abstract

This chapter describes survival analysis. Survival analysis concerns data where the outcome is a length of time, namely the time from inclusion in the study (such as diagnosis of some disease) till death or some other event — hence the term 'time to event analysis', which is also used. There are two primary targets normally addressed in survival analysis: survival probabilities and event rates. The chapter then looks at the life table estimator of survival function and the Kaplan–Meier estimator of survival. It also considers the Cox model and its relationship with Poisson models, as well as the Fine–Gray approach to competing risks.